RALEIGH — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
Emerging data suggest some people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems do not always build the same level of immunity compared to people who are not immunocompromised. The CDC’s recommendations ensure everyone, including people who are the most vulnerable to COVID-19, gets as much protection as possible through vaccination.
For people ages 12 and older who are immunocompromised and who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or ages 18 and older who received the Moderna vaccine, the CDC recommends they receive three initial doses plus a booster dose at least three months after their third dose. This shortens the length of time between an individual’s third dose and their booster, which was previously recommended at least five months after their third dose.
For people ages 18 and older who are immunocompromised and who received a single Johnson & Johnson, the CDC now recommends they receive a total of three vaccine doses, including the initial dose of the Johnson & Johnson primary vaccine; one additional dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna); and one booster dose (preferably of an mRNA vaccine) at least two months after their second dose.
